Autonomous mobile apparatus, autonomous mobile method, and autonomous mobile system

1. An autonomous mobile apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

one or more memories which store an executable set of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including

determining a first control method or a second control method as a control method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus on the basis of information regarding another autonomous mobile apparatus, the first control method being a method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus such that the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in a certain area using a first control algorithm and the second control method being a method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus such that the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in the certain area using a second control algorithm, and

autonomously moving the autonomous mobile apparatus using the determined control method.

2. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in the determining, the second control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using the first control method, and the first control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using the second control method.

3. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first control method is a method by which the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus moves mainly clockwise, and

wherein the second control method is a method by which the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus moves mainly counterclockwise.

4. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a first receiver that, if the other autonomous mobile apparatus is located rightward relative to a movement direction of the autonomous mobile apparatus, receives identification information identifying the other autonomous mobile apparatus; and

a second receiver that, if the other autonomous mobile apparatus is located leftward relative to the movement direction of the autonomous mobile apparatus, receives the identification information identifying the other autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein, in the determining, the second control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the first receiver receives the identification information, and the first control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the second receiver receives the identification information.

5. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a transmitter that transmits first identification information identifying the autonomous mobile apparatus; and

a receiver that receives second identification information identifying the other autonomous mobile apparatus transmitted from the other autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein the first control method is initially set as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus, and

wherein, in the determining, the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus switches from the first control method to the second control method if the second identification information is received before the first identification information is transmitted.

6. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein, in the determining, if the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus switches from the first control method to the second control method after the autonomous mobile apparatus turns on, the second control method is maintained until the autonomous mobile apparatus turns off.

7. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a storage that stores a first identification number unique to the autonomous mobile apparatus; and

a receiver that receives a second identification number, which is different from the first identification number, unique to the other autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein the first control method is initially set as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus, and

wherein, in the determining, the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus switches from the first control method to the second control method if the second identification number is larger than the first identification number.

8. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a transmitter that transmits, to a server, identification information identifying the autonomous mobile apparatus and arrangement place information indicating a place where the autonomous mobile apparatus is arranged; and

a receiver that receives, from the server, a registration number provided for the autonomous mobile apparatus on the basis of a number of autonomous mobile apparatuses arranged in the place, each of the autonomous mobile apparatuses being the autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein, in the determining, the first control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the received registration number is an odd number, and the second control method is determined as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the received registration number is an even number.

9. The autonomous mobile apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a front receiver that receives identification information identifying the other autonomous mobile apparatus if the other autonomous mobile apparatus is located ahead of the autonomous mobile apparatus in a movement direction of the autonomous mobile apparatus; and

a rear receiver that receives the identification information identifying the other autonomous mobile apparatus if the other autonomous mobile apparatus is located behind the autonomous mobile apparatus in the movement direction of the autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein, in the determining, a current control method is maintained as the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the rear receiver receives the identification information, and the method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus switches from the current control method to another control method if the front receiver receives the identification information.

10. A method for autonomously moving an autonomous mobile apparatus, the method comprising:

determining a second control method as a control method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if another autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using a first control method or the first control method as the control method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus if the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using the second control method, the first control method being a method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus such that the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in a certain area using a first control algorithm and the second control method being a method for controlling the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus such that the autonomous mobile apparatus or the other autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in the certain area using a second control algorithm; and

autonomously moving the autonomous mobile apparatus using the determined control method.

11. An autonomous mobile system comprising:

a first autonomous mobile apparatus; and

a second autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein the first autonomous mobile apparatus includes:

a processor; and

one or more memories which store an executable set of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including

determining a second control method as a control method for controlling the first autonomous mobile apparatus if the second autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using a first control method or the first control method as the control method for controlling the first autonomous mobile apparatus if the second autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves using the second control method, the first control method being a method for controlling the first autonomous mobile apparatus or the second autonomous mobile apparatus such that the first autonomous mobile apparatus or the second autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in a certain area using a first control algorithm and the second control method being a method for controlling the first autonomous mobile apparatus or the second autonomous mobile apparatus such that the first autonomous mobile apparatus or the second autonomous mobile apparatus autonomously moves in the certain area using a second control algorithm, and

autonomously moving the first autonomous mobile apparatus using the determined control method for controlling the first autonomous mobile apparatus,

wherein the second autonomous mobile apparatus includes circuitry which, in operation, performs operations including

determining the first control method or the second control method as a control method for controlling the second autonomous mobile apparatus, and

autonomously moving the second autonomous mobile apparatus using the determined control method for controlling the second autonomous mobile apparatus.